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The 6-foot-5, 233-pound forward played for Colorado, Calgary, Toronto, Florida and finished his career with Nashville, playing in 549 career NHL games with eight goals, 25 assists and 1,263 penalty minutes.

He also took part in 136 fights during his 14-year NHL career, according to hockeyfights.com.

Former minor league hockey player Troy Kahler told the Toronto Star that he saw Belak on Tuesday night at the Underground Garage bar.

Mr Kahler told the paper: 'He didn’t seem intoxicated at all. He was just as he was always, just happy-go-lucky.'

After Rypien's death, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said he expected the NHL to review its substance abuse and behavioural health program.

Tragedies: Rick Rypien, a rising star with the Winnipeg Jets who suffered from depression, killed himself just last month

In March, team GMs began three days of meetings with head injuries leading the agenda.

After the first session, Mr Bettman announced the league will adopt a more rigorous protocol for examining players with possible concussions.

Startling trend: New York Rangers player Derek Boogard was found dead in May

NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr released a statement in support of changes to the NHL's current policies.

Mr Fehr said: 'We are confident that the protocol will be properly implemented across the NHL by each of its member clubs.

'This is a significant step to improve player safety, and concussion protocol is an area where we will continue to work with the league, through the joint NHL/NHLPA Concussion Working Group.'

Other changes are likely. The speed of the sport has long been a big attraction, but a rise in concussions and two recent high-profile cases have created pressure to revise the rules.

Montreal GM Pierre Gauthier said: 'We will look at a lot of areas. There’s a definite will to improve the situation and make the game safer.'

Fellow Predators forward Blake Geoffrion sent his prayers to Belak's family on Twitter.

Fighter: Wade Belak was known as a tough enforcer who got into 136 fights in his 14-year NHL career

Mr Geoffrion tweeted: 'Wade Belak was one of funniest dudes I had ever met. Just was with him earlier this summer. Can't believe it.'

Bettman released a statement calling Belak a player who competed every minute of his career.

Mr Bettman said: 'Our hearts go out to Wade's loved ones, his friends, his former teammates and to all who feel the horrible void left by this tragedy.'

Mr Fehr issued a statement sending condolences to Belak's family on behalf of the Players' Association.

HEAD TRAUMA LINKED TO SUICIDE, DEPRESSION

Repeated head injuries have been tied to various cognitive and behavioural problems later in life and can eventually cause dementia.

Injuries like chronic traumatic encephalopathy are most common in the sport of boxing and linked to multiple concussions.

In recent years, the phenomenon has appeared to spread to other pro sports, including professional and college football and hockey.

Sufferers can show symptoms such as memory loss, aggression, confusion and depression which may appear within months of the trauma or many decades later.

He said: 'His affable personality made him popular with teammates, fans and media, and he was a hardworking, respected member of the [NHLPA].

'He will undoubtedly be greatly missed throughout the entire hockey community.'

Mr Belak, who lived in Nashville, recently travelled to Toronto to be a contestant on the CBC show 'Battle of the Blades,' an ice skating reality show.

'He was very excited that he was having an opportunity to maybe change his career and get into some commentating work,' former Toronto coach Pat Quinn told The Canadian Press.

'I was excited for him, too. It was kind of one of those nice meetings where you walk away happy. He seemed delighted this was going on.'

Over the last week, Belak was interviewed a number of times after being selected to the 'Battle of the Blades' cast and fielded questions about the deaths of the other two players.

New light was shed on retired athletes and suicide after the death of former football star Dave Duerson, who shot himself in the head in February after sending a text message to his family asking for his brain to be examined for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

Violent end: Dave Duerson knew he had CTE to the point where he requested family members test him for it just before he killed himself

A medical examination revealed in May that Mr Duerson did indeed have the degenerative brain disease linked to repeated hits he took in the NFL.

Heart failure claimed the life of longtime NHL bruiser Bob Probert last year, but a post-mortem brain tissue examination found that he also suffered from CTE linked to hits he took on the ice, his wife said in March.

The same condition has also been found in more than 20 deceased professional football players.

Hard hitter: Longtime NHL enforcer Bob Probert died of a heart attack last year, but a brain exam found he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy